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I could see Greg Olsen starting by opening day too, if not at some point in the season. That would also, likely, be an improvement, despite Clark's nice year last year. Not in the blocking dept. Clark should start. Olsen should get significant time though. I'd really like to see is a formation with Berrian and Bradley on the outside. Olsen in the slot. Hester and Wolfe as split backs. Get Olsen on a nickel back, probably a good 5 inches shorter. Get 2 fast RBs on LBs or safeties.

Yeah, that was always strange to me when they were back to back picks in the draft a few years back. They were the same exact type of player. And it didn't make a lot of sense to play them together.

I'm not overly excited about Jacque right now. Sure he has put up amazing numbers this month, but they are very hollow looking to me. He seems to be hitting everything on the ground still and they are finding holes that they didn't find in the 1st 3 months of the season. His BABIP has to be extremely high right now. And his ISOP is barely over .100. I don't think he will be as unlucky as he was the 1st half, but he won't be as lucky as he has been in July. The question is does the happy medium equal good enough production? With his lack of power this year, Jacque is looking at a low .700 OPS if things even out.

Good speed and long legs is the makings of a good OF if he's 6'2" or below. But Derrek is 6'6". There's not a natural looking 6'6" OF alive on this planet. Oh yeah, and you don't move the best defensive 1B in the league to OF because another player is acquired.

It sounded like they had a basic agreement once the deadline passed, so I'm not that surprised. It's certainly nice to have it done two days before camp begins, though. I was fully expecting him to symbolically sit out at least part of training camp, if not all the preseason. But I was certain he'd be around for all 16 games. I wonder how the "Bears are having a disastrous offseason" crowd will respond. Won't we be returning 20 starters from last year now (minus Tank & TJ)? Yeah, real disastrous LOL. Technically, didn't Ian Scott start at DT over Tank? Yep, the Bears will have 3 different starters from last year. Scott gets replaced by Adams, who is probably a better player. Jones gets replaced by Benson, who is probably a better player. Danieal Manning's still on the team, but gets replaced by Archuleta, who is....wait for it....probably a better player. Horrible offseason indeed.

Not a PG, though he can handle. He's about 6'6".

Yeah, I'm gonna keep my pick. I figure, anytime you can get a superstar, get him. Jackson is probably as close as there is outside of LT as a lock for 1500 yards and 12-15 TDs. At 9, I'd be looking at a guy like Maroney, Westbrook, Ronnie Brown, and Rudi Johnson. The 1st 3 are risks in some form. I'm hoping a great WR slips to me at 23, because everyone goes RB crazy.

I believe they will resign Grossman if he has a good season. And I believe there will be money to sign him if he has a great season. A great season by Grossman virtually assures them of at least an NFC Championship appearance, and probably the Super Bowl. They have always been good about maintaing a smart cap. There will be space, or they will make the space. Besides, when was the last time a marque QB (and under this scenario RG would be marquee) actually signed as a free agent with a new team? If he fails to improve from last season, I think they will either try and get him back on the cheap or let him walk. Drew Brees was probably the last "marquee" QB (under your definition) to be signed by another team just 1 season ago. His team had a different guy that they wanted to promote, and he was coming off injury. Plus, he took a bit of a step back. I'm talking about a QB coming off a great season whose team wants to keep him. It's not like baseball, where stud pitchers routinely do to free agency and leave. If a team finds a QB, they typically keep him, unless they already have his replacement on board. The ANALysts on ESPN would like us to believe that Jeff Garcia did that. I think Drew Bledsoe could count. He was injured, but was still clearly thought of as a marquee QB.....though, they did have Brady.

I believe they will resign Grossman if he has a good season. And I believe there will be money to sign him if he has a great season. A great season by Grossman virtually assures them of at least an NFC Championship appearance, and probably the Super Bowl. They have always been good about maintaing a smart cap. There will be space, or they will make the space. Besides, when was the last time a marque QB (and under this scenario RG would be marquee) actually signed as a free agent with a new team? If he fails to improve from last season, I think they will either try and get him back on the cheap or let him walk. Does Drew Brees count? He didn't perform like a marquee QB in 2005, but established himself as pretty close with a great 2004. Brees is who I hope Rex can turn into. Brees is listed at 6' 208, Grossman 6'1" 217, pretty much the same size. Arm strength is pretty much even. Both were 4 year starters in passing college offenses. Brees 2002 (first full year as starting QB)- 60.8% completions, 3284 yrds, 17 TD, 16 INT, 76.9 QB rating. Grossman 2006 (first full year as starting QB)- 54.6%, 3193 yrds, 23 TD, 20 INT, 73.9 rating. Brees started to take off in 2004 after 27 career starts, and 1 full season. Grossman has 25 career starts (29 if you include playoffs) and 1 full season.

That's the problem - neither he or Adewale are earning their money. I'm really hoping a healthy Tommie Harris and fierce competition will bring the best out of Alex and Wale. Both are very good players. The reason the Bears D struggled at the end of last year was because they weren't getting consistent pressure w/ the front 4. Hopefully the DTs can take up 3-4 blockers on passing downs leaving the ends 1 on 1 on the outside more often. We'll see, I'm suprised to hear this much positive talk about Adams; I thought he was a disappointment @ SF which was why they let him go. I must've misread that whole deal. In my delusional world Mike Brown stays healthy, which gives our D its edge back, and DT turns out to be not a huge issue. Hey, I can dream can't I? 8-) I don't think Adams has a huge contingent of fans or anything, but I definitely think that he will be serviceable when placed around other great defenders in a great scheme (i.e Ian Scott and Alfonso Boone). Adams has definitely underachieved. But as stated above, most people think he can shine in the Bears scheme with great players around him on the D-line. He'll be better than Scott (and I liked him) and better than Tank was last year.

That's the problem - neither he or Adewale are earning their money. I'm really hoping a healthy Tommie Harris and fierce competition will bring the best out of Alex and Wale. Both are very good players. The reason the Bears D struggled at the end of last year was because they weren't getting consistent pressure w/ the front 4. Hopefully the DTs can take up 3-4 blockers on passing downs leaving the ends 1 on 1 on the outside more often.

Nice sleeper picks. I agree with you on the BC player thing. I've gotten that impression too. Defensive depth may be the biggest difference between this year and last year (especially at DT and OLB, if Briggs doesn't play). A handful of young guys really have to step up. LB is obviously our biggest issue. Okwo or Williams really have to step up. But, I think that DT (barring injuries) is pretty solid for us. Tommie is obviously a monster, Dusty and Anthony Adams should be comparable to Ian Scott and Alfonso Boone and Antonio Garay is an asset as a #4 DT. He is very underrated. And let's not forget that Idonije and Alex Brown can move inside if necessary. Our DB depth is just plain sick. I do think people are making a bigger deal out of the DT depth than it is. However, 2 of the 4 counted on in the rotation missed significant time. The DB depth is nice, but as we know Mike Brown is prone to injury. Both CBs missed time last year, and I believe Archuleta has missed time in the past.

The about a Burrell trade is that the Phils are still in the race. While I think the Phils would gladly trade Burrell even in the race, I think they would want something that would help them right now. I don't know if another contending team would give that up....Cubs included. I think the offer would have to start with Moore, because they could use a 3B of the future. I would think Gallagher would be a nice help for them in the future. But for now, I would think they would need a RP. I'm sure they would want Marmol, but Dempster makes the most sense salary wise.

I think it shows what position(s) they value more than others.

Wow. That sounds a little excessive.

Nice sleeper picks. I agree with you on the BC player thing. I've gotten that impression too. Defensive depth may be the biggest difference between this year and last year (especially at DT and OLB, if Briggs doesn't play). A handful of young guys really have to step up.

I'm guessing minimal moves for a RH power bat and a LH reliever. Nady and Marte makes the most sense of any rumor I have seen. Both are cheap and having decent seasons. Nady has played CF 9 times this year too (although not very beautifully), so he gives you a little insurance in case Jacque sucks again.

Any prolonged stretch of .600 baseball would be more than acceptable. 12-8 would leave them at 63-54, or a .538 W%, good for a pace of 87 wins. That would also leave them with 45 more games to reach the 90 win plateau, which would mean going 27-18 the rest of the way, also a .600 W%. considering the "easy" games in this stretch are on the road and the "hard" games are at home, I stand by 12-8. Not knowing the pitching matchups makes it hard to guess though This weekend proved pitching matchups mean nothing. Cubs beat Brandon Webb with Jason Marquis, then lost vs. Owings and Petit when their SP gave up a combined 2 ERs in 12 innings. I wouldn't go that far. If Kip Wells and the Cardinals go out and beat Zambrano and the Cubs tomorrow... I think it's definitely fair to say pitching matchups are often given too much attention as a predictor of the outcome. But saying they mean nothing at all is akin to saying pitching itself means nothing. Obviously, I was talking about predicting a winner based on matchups, rather than saying pitching doesn't factor in the outcome. I don't know where this comment is coming from.

Johan Santana and Bartolo Colon engaging in a shootout! Santana gave up 4 HRs in 5 IP. Colon just gave up 4 in the 1st. Colon with a .75 pt lead (-10.25 to -11).

BOOOOO! I was 7-1 vs. the West.

It would take a boatload for that group, and at least 2 blue chippers. The Cubs don't have any outside of possible, Felix.....and I don't see the Yanks giving up Hughes when they are giving up ARod.

I'd take him. He's at least better than Jock right now.

Hasn't Piniella said that he won't move Soriano from the leadoff spot anymore? He tried it when Aramis was out, and didn't go back to it. He tried it vs. LHPs and is not going back to it. I don't see a reason to mess with Soriano. He's obviously much more comfortable hitting 1st. Get Lofton and hit him 2nd.

Any prolonged stretch of .600 baseball would be more than acceptable. 12-8 would leave them at 63-54, or a .538 W%, good for a pace of 87 wins. That would also leave them with 45 more games to reach the 90 win plateau, which would mean going 27-18 the rest of the way, also a .600 W%. considering the "easy" games in this stretch are on the road and the "hard" games are at home, I stand by 12-8. Not knowing the pitching matchups makes it hard to guess though This weekend proved pitching matchups mean nothing. Cubs beat Brandon Webb with Jason Marquis, then lost vs. Owings and Petit when their SP gave up a combined 2 ERs in 12 innings.

The Central and WC races may come down to the wire. The Cubs and Brewers play basically the exact same schedule thru the end of August. In September, the Brewers end the season with a weekend at Atlanta and the last weekend of the season home vs. San Diego. Both are 4 game series.